Vertical striper for circular ribbed knitting machines



E. C. SHERLIN May 23, 1933.

Filed Sept. 4, 1930 INVENTOR ($020M 6' 572011010 I l I v I l 1 1 I II I Fl] 1 IIHHHUHHH HH IUH V ATTORNEY 3 Patented May 23, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD CLYDE SH I'IRZLIN, OF FORT PAYNE, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR TO W. B. DAVIS &. SON, OF FORT PAYNE, ALABAMA, A CORPORATION OF ALABAMA.

VERTICAL STRIPER FOR CIRCULAR BIBBED KNITTING MACHINES Application filed September 4, 1930. Serial No. 479,783.

rib knitting machines for knitting shirts and the like.

The object of the inventlon 1s to provide an improved mechanism which can be applied, if desired to exist ng machrnesfor the purpose of producing longitudinal stripes on the face of the fabrlc belng kmt, said stripes having one or a plurality of colors according to the wish of the deslgner.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism to be applled to knitting machines now on the market, or to new machines, wherein the stripes of not less than two colors may be made as contmuous or uninterrupted stripes, whereby designs involving three' colors may be pro duced.

In the accompanying drawmg- Figure l is a fragmentary view showing partof a finger carrier and a pluralltybf fingers disclosing an embodiment of the mvention, the same being illustrated associated with cylinder needles of the usual type;

Figure 2 is a sectional view through Figure 1 approximately on the line 2-2;

Figure 3 is a diagram showing a top view of a pair of fingers and a needle, showing the dotted position for the respective fingers;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken through Fig. 1 approximately on the line 4-4;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a garment showing a design produced thereon by a machine embodying the present invention;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing a design made by machines old in the art;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing a diiferent form of the same inventive idea;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure '3 but showing the construction illustrated in Figure 7.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, 1 indicates a finger cylinder, and 2 groups of identically constructed fingers, there being two fingers in each group. Associated with these fingers are the cylinder needles 3 of any suitable machine on the market as,'for instance, a machine of the type shown in United States Patent No. 1,666,784. In this type of machine there are vertically arranged cylinder needles 3 and horizontally arranged dial needles 4, indi cated in Flgure 2 of applicants drawing.

Arranged above the cylinder 3 carrying the cylinder needles 3 is a finger carrier, said carrier bein held rigidly in place by a bracket or ot er suitable means (not shown). As indicated in the patent above referred to, it is old in the art to use sin 1e fingers which are pivotally mounted, said ngers producing a colored rib from a single thread.

Where only single fingers are used, as shown in Patent No. 1,666,784, only one colored thread may be used for each of the cylinder needles 3 and, consequently, a design 5, as shownin Figure 6, is the result. From this figure it will be evident that the body 6 of the garment may be of a given color, the various portions or sections 7 of a second color, and the section 8 of a third color.

In the present invention and by the use of the double fingers 2 a design, as shown inv Figure 5, as well as other similar designs may be produced. In Figure 5 it will be seen that the body of the garment 9 is formed of a certain color, section 10 of a second color, and section 11 of a third color. However, it will be noted that above and below the design the color indicated by the numeral 10 may be produced, while on the garment shown in Figure 6 the color above and below the section 8 can only be the color of the body 6 as there is no second finger to produce a second color on the same rib.

Referring particularly to, the groups of fingers 2, each finger is formed originally with a number of projections 12, said projections being broken 011 except one which is adapted to be engaged by the cam 13 carried by the arm 14, so that the finger 2 associated therewith may be swung outwardly. During the operation of the machine the operating rod 15 moves upwardly and downwardly as it rotates and, consequently, moves the various projections 12 according to the usual design pattern chains found in machines of this type; The various fingers 2 are flexible and are preferably clamped be tween members 16 and 17 which are held in place in any desired manner. By reason of this structure, whenever cam 13 functions the particular finger operated will be swung outwardly and will flex at the upper part as it swings.

From Figure 1 it will be noted that at the lower end all of these fingers aretwisted and are provided with openings through which the various yarns 18 and 19 pass. It is to be noted that yarn 18 is preferably of one color and yarn 19 of another color, while needles 3 and 4 will perform the usual knitting operation and use a yarn of a difi'erent color. It will thus be noted that the body of the stocking or other garment is of a given color and certain ribs at certain places are striped or wound with one or both of the yarns 18 and 19.

As indicated in Figure 3, when any of the fingers 2 are forced outwardly by the cam it passes from the position shown at 2' toward the needle 3' and, by reason of the angle of the lower part of the finger, it slightly contacts atthe position 20 with the needle 3 Then when it is free from the needle it automatically springs to the position 21. This is the extreme outer position, and as soon as the cam 3 passes the resiliency of the finger will automatically move the finger from position 21 to position 22 where needle 3' deflects the finger and allows it to move back automatically under its own resiliency to the position indicated by finger 2'. finger 2" functions in the same manner and, consequently, either finger with either color yarn may be used at any time with respect to any of the needles 3.

Where only one finger is used only one color yarn can be used on a rib produced by any one needle 3, but by reason of the present structure two colors may be used with each needle and, consequently, more elaborate designs produced than is illustrated in Figure 6. I

In order to secure the use of the two fingers the various finger grooves or slots 23 in cylinder 1 are made of a size to admit two fingers properly in each groove, said grooves being opposite the respectiveneedles 3. It will thus be seen, as illustrated in Fi res 2 and 3, that as needle 3 moves upwar ly the finger opposite the needle may be swung outwardly, for instance, see Figure 2, and then allowed to swing back, whereupon the needle 3 is supplied with yarn of the color carried by that particular finger.

The fingers 2 operating during the usual operation of the knittin machine and, consequently, while the cylinder needles 3 are The momma in the raised position, the fin or operating cam 13 successively'engages t e rear edges or projections 12 of the various striping plating fingers 2 and thereby forces the fins gers outward. The outermost face of the angularly disposed foot ortion 24 of each finger engages the rear e go of the cylinder needle 3 with which the finger is aligned and causes the foot or finger to move ofi to one side of said needle, as shown particularly in Figure 3, hence, due to the resiliency of the material of which the finger is composed, the finger again assumes the position in vertical alignment but in. front of the needle. The finger is thus carrying the thread to and around one side of the needle, the cam 13 now moves out of engagement with the finger, and the finger is allowed under its own resiliency to move back to its normal position.

In traveling from its outer to its inner or normal position the rear face of the angularly disposed foot portion 24 of the finger engages the front edge of the needle and causes the finger to move off to the outer side of the needle, as illustrated in Figure 3, thus carrying the thread completely around the needle as it returns to its innermost position. This operation takes place while the needle 3 is in its raised position and, conseqllliently, is done very rapidly, so that the t read supplied by the finger will be moved by the needle 3 and brought into the garment to produce the desired design.

The various fingers are positioned to swing radially and consequently move edgewise back and forth except for the feet 24 which are turned at approximately 45 angle from the remaining part of the fingers. By reason of the angle of the respective feet 24 and the fact that they are arranged in groups of two, the outer foot is adapted to engage the needle both on its outward and inward movement and be deflected thereby in order to wrap yarn around a needle. The inner or rear foot as shown in Figure 3 strikes the outer foot and is deflected so as to readily pass the needle, but on its return movement 1s deflected by the needle as it winds the yarn around the needle. In this way both fingers of each pair at difierent times loop the thread around the needle 3 with which it cooperates and, consequently, two difi'erent colored threads may be looped at difierent times around the needle 3.

The angle of the foot 24 and the size and thickness of the fingers 2 have been exaggerated for the purpose of illustration, but in actual use it will be noted that these fingers are very thin and are made flexible to an appreciable extent whereby they readily move in and out as the machine functions.

In Figures 7 and 8 another embodiment of the invention is shown to that illustrated in Figure 1. In these figures it will be seen that the cylinder 1' is provided with equallyspaced grooves 25 inwhich the various fingers 2 are mounted, said fingers bein identical in structure to that shown in igure 1. It will be noted, however, that the fingers 2 in cylinder 1 are equally spaced instead of bein arranged in the same groove. However, t e rpoves in cylinder 1 are po s1 tioned so that two fingers 2 will be opposite each of the cylinder needles 3 so that either finger ma wrap a yarn around the needle as hereto ore set forth.

In Figure 8 a diagram is shown illustrating how the fingers move around the needle 3. It will be noted that the action is similar to that shown in Figure 3 although the fingers are spaced a art instead of substantially in contact, as s own in Fig. 3. It will be further noted that the angle of the foot 24 is about from the direction of its travel as shown in Figure 8 and in view of this fact the outer foot or the foot 24 of finger 3" W11]. strike the needle 3 and be deflected to one side. On the return movement, the rear face of the foot 24-. of fingers 3 will strike needle 3 and be deflected in the opposite direction thus causing the yarn to be moved around the needle. The foot of the fingers 3 is in the rear of the foot of the finger 3" and, consequently,will be deflected by the foot 24 of finger 3 so that it will readily pass the needle 3 after which its rear face strikes the needle 3 on the return movement and consequently the foot is deflected in the opposite direction for causing the yarn to move around the needle.

I claim- 1. The combination with a circular rib knittin machine having cylinder needles, of a cylin rical plating finger carrier coaxially aligned with said cylinder needles, a pair of plating fingers mounted on said carrier for each of certain of the cylinder needles, said pairs of fingers being aligned with said needles, and means for causing independent movement of each of said fingers around the needle with'which it is aligned for carrying a plating yarn around said needle.

2. The combination with a circular rib knitting machine having cylinder needles, of

. a cylindrical plating finger carrier provided with a plurality of grooves, a pair of plating fingers mounted in each of said grooves, there bein one groove for each of said cylinder need es, the respective grooves being aligned with the respective needles, and means for independently swinging the lower end of each of said fingers so asto cause the same to move around the needle with which it is aligned for carrying a plating yarn around said needle. 7

3. The combination with a circular rib knitting machine having cylinder needles, of a carrier coaxially aligned with said needles,

a plurality of pairs of resilient plating fingers the needle with which it is aligned and carry a plating yarn around said needle.

4. In a circular rib knitting machine having cylinder needles, a pair of plating fingers for certain of said needles, said plating fingers being aligned co-axially with the needle with which it cooperates, means for holding the upper end of each of said fingers, and means including a cam for swinging the lower end of said fingers outwardly, each of said fingers being resilient whereby they will automatically swing inwardly when released, each of said fingers carrying a yarn and formed with a lower end portion at an angle to the remaining portion and at an angle to the swinging movement, whereby as they are swung outwardly they will engage a needle and be sprung to one side until they pass the needle, after which they will engage with the same needle and be swung to the opposite side when released by said cam, whereby the yarn carried by the finger will be moved around the needle.

5. The combination with a circular rib knitting machine having cylinder needles, of a pair of plating fingers arranged coaxially with certain of said needles, the respective fingers of each pair being adapted to contain yarns' of dilferent colors, means for independently operating each of said fingers so as to cause the same to move around the needle with which it is aligned so that different colored yarn may be supplied to said needle for as many courses as desired, and thereby cause a design to be produced in the goods knit by said needles.

6. In combination a circular rib knitting machine having a needle cylinder and needles operatively mounted therein, a needle dial and needles operatively mounted there- 1 in, a cylindrical plating ger carrier coaxially aligned with said needle cylinder, a pair of plating fingers mounted on said carrier for each cylinder needle, the respective pairs of fingers being aligned with the respective cylinder needles, and means for causing a movement of each of said fingers so that the lower ends thereof will move around the cylinder needles with which it is aligned for carrying a plating yarn around said needle.

'7. The combination with a circular rib knitting machine having cylinder needles of a cylindrical plating finger carrier coaxially aligned with said cylinder needles, there being a pair of grooves in said carrier for each of said cylinder needles, each pair of grooves being positioned so that the carrier needles with which they are associated will 'be midway therebetween, a plating finger mounted in each of said grooves in said carrier, and means for causing independent movement of each of said fingers around the needle with which it is aligned for carrying a plating yarn around said needle.

8. In combination with a circular knitting machine, a thread-change plating attachment adapted to selectively supply threads to the same needle, comprising a carrier havin a vertical guide slot overhanging the c lin er, a plurality of guide fingers in said s ot, and pattern-controlled means for imparting a radial swinging movement across the circle of needles to a selected one of said fingers.

9. In combination with a circular knitting machine, a thread-changing plating attachment adapted to selectively supply threads to the same needle, comprising a carrier havin a vertical guide slot overhanging the cy inder, a plurality of swin ing guide fingers in said slot, each of said fingers having at its lower end a fiat needle-engaging portion positioned at an an 'le to the radial swinging movement of the ngers, and pat tern-controlled means for imparting a radial swinging movement across the circle of needles to a selected one of said fingers.

10. A method of forming patterns in tuhular rib-knitted fabrics made on a dial and cylinder independent needle machine comprising feeding a body yarn to all the needles, wrapping a pattern yarn individual to a needle about a selected cylinder needle in certain courses and floating it between said courses, and wrapping another pattern yarn about said needle in certain of the courses at which the first-named pattern yarn is floated.

EDWARD C. SHERLIN,

aerate? 

